`ex-basketball Player` By John Updike

POEM :EX-BASKETBALL PLAYER BY JOHN UPDIKEA THOROUGH ANALYSIS1 INTRODUCTIONIn the song Ex-Basketball Player the poet John Updike narrates a sad tale of lose it Webb who was Basket ball hero during school old age entirely currently he is working as bollix seat attendant . The poet employs simple and direct poetic diction and narrates the click s tale dispassionately to invite reader s judgment on cruel joke career played with the promising hoops player . The meter portrays video s case with photographic pragmatism of Emile Zola without going into stream of br consciousness of Flick s mindThe verse form contains five stanzas and six lines and it is written in blank poetize . The appalling implication of the poem which comes as a manifestation in the poem is that how a great budding talent of sports can languish in prison of oblivion because of unemotionality and mindless neglect of society The poem almost symbolically conveys the message that public memory is short . The same flock who cheer you up today tomorrow may drop dead to even recognize your face . The nostalgic flashback and the poetic event is achieved by the poet through the effective treatment of the theme of unsung hero who leads a nondescript flavour a gas station attendant not by choice exclusively by a sheer stroke of fate . The poem raises a very important poetic question that how practically we place people on high pedestal and indeed suddenly and without any reason throw them away(predicate) into spue to rot and rustThe first stanza effectively synchronizes with Flick Webb s lackluster life ( later display of initial spark of glamour during school days with the topography of Flick s hometown . The topography of Flick Webb s hometown has been made to symbolically correspond to Flick Webb s life sequence .

The street runs for a short eon and is cut off abruptly significantly represents Flick Webb s life which has been cut off prior to reaching full outdo glory of Sports careerThe second and third stanza describes how Flick Webb distinguished football secret plan player and how he is till date a destroy holder The ball loved Flick through this embodiment the poet emphatically states that Flick is cut out for the game . move on he extols his basket ball skill by development a simile His hands were wish well wild birdsIn the final exam stanza the poet Updike dwells on Flick Webb s monotonous life and how he whiles away it playing pin ball . The game of pinball symbolizes despair and a life without ambition . It also symbolizes that Flick has not been able to advance a step further after he left school . The pattern of pinball game also refers to Flick s nostalgic flashbacks to school day glory2 utilise OF FIGURES OF SPEECH IN THE POEM1 `The ball loved Flick- `PERSONIFICATION2 `His hands were like wild birds-`SIMILE3 bends with the trolley track-ALLITERATION4 `Their rubber elbows hanging let go and low -`ALLITERATION AND ASSONANCE5 `He never learned a trade ,he...If you want to get a full essay, grade it on our website: Orderessay

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